My Random Thoughts

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect

Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the

common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings

of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this

Constitution for the United States of America.

 

Article. I.

Section. 1. All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a

Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House

of Representatives.

Section. 2. The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members

chosen every second Year by the People of the several States, and the

Electors in each State shall have the Qualifications requisite for

Electors of the most numerous Branch of the State Legislature.

No Person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to the

Age of twenty five Years, and been seven Years a Citizen of the United

States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that

State in which he shall be chosen.

[Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the

several States which maybe included within this Union, according to

their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the

whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a

Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all

other Persons.]* The actual Enumeration shall be made within three

Years after the first Meeting of the Congress of the United States,

and within every subsequent Term of ten Years, in such Manner as they

shall by Law direct. The number of Representatives shall not exceed one

for every thirty Thousand, but each State shall have at Least one

Representative; and until such enumeration shall be made, the State of

New Hampshire shall be entitled to chuse three, Massachusetts eight,

Rhode Island and Providence Plantations one, Connecticut five, New York

six, New Jersey four, Pennsylvania eight, Delaware one, Maryland six,

Virginia ten, North Carolina five, South Carolina five, and Georgia three.

 

*Changed by section 2 of the Fourteenth Amendment.

 

When vacancies happen in the Representation from any State, the

Executive Authority thereof shall issue Writs of Election to fill

such Vacancies. The House of Representatives shall chuse their Speaker

and other Officers; and shall have the sole Power of Impeachment.

Section. 3. The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two

Senators from each State, [chosen by the Legislature thereof,]* for six

Years; and each Senator shall have one Vote.

 

*Changed by the Seventeenth Amendment.

 

Immediately after they shall be assembled in Consequence of the first

Election, they shall be divided as equally as may be into three Classes.

The Seats of the Senators of the first Class shall be vacated at the Expiration of the second Year, of the second Class at the Expiration of

the fourth Year, and of the third Class at the Expiration of the sixth

Year, so that one third may be chosen every second Year; [and if

Vacancies happen by Resignation, or otherwise, during the Recess of the

Legislature of any State, the Executive thereof may make temporary

Appointments until the next Meeting of the Legislature, which shall then

fill such Vacancies.]*

 

*Changed by the Seventeenth Amendment.

 

No Person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained to the Age

of thirty Years, and been nine Years a Citizen of the United States, and

who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State for which he

shall be chosen.

The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the

Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be equally divided.

The Senate shall chuse their other Officers, and also a President pro

tempore, in the Absence of the Vice President, or when he shall exercise

the Office of President of the United States.

The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments. When

sitting for that Purpose, they shall be on Oath or Affirmation. When

the President of the United States is tried, the Chief Justice shall

preside: And no Person shall be convicted without the Concurrence of

two thirds of the Members present.

Judgment in Cases of Impeachment shall not extend further than to

removal from Office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any Office

of honor, Trust or Profit under the United States: but the Party

convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to Indictment,

Trial, Judgment and Punishment, according to Law.

Section. 4. The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for

Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by

the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make

or alter such Regulations, except as to the Places of chusing Senators.

The Congress shall assemble at least once in every Year, and such

Meeting shall be [on the first Monday in December,]* unless they shall

by Law appoint a different Day.

 

*Changed by section 2 of the Twentieth Amendment.

 

Section. 5. Each House shall be the Judge of the Elections, Returns

and Qualifications of its own Members, and a Majority of each shall

constitute a Quorum to do Business; but a smaller Number may adjourn

from day to day, and may be authorized to compel the Attendance of

absent Members, in such Manner, and under such Penalties as each House

may provide.

Each House may determine the Rules of its Proceedings, punish its

Members for disorderly Behaviour, and, with the Concurrence of two

thirds, expel a Member.

Each House shall keep a Journal of its Proceedings, and from time to

time publish the same, excepting such Parts as may in their Judgment

require Secrecy; and the Yeas and Nays of the Members of either House

on any question shall, at the Desire of one fifth of those Present, be

entered on the Journal.

Neither House, during the Session of Congress, shall, without the

Consent of the other, adjourn for more than three days, nor to any

other Place than that in which the two Houses shall be sitting.

Section. 6. The Senators and Representatives shall receive a

Compensation for their Services, to be ascertained by Law, and paid

out of the Treasury of the United States. They shall in all Cases,

except Treason, Felony and Breach of the Peace, be privileged from

Arrest during their Attendance at the Session of their respective

Houses, and in going to and returning from the same; and for any

Speech or Debate in either House, they shall not be questioned in any

other Place.

No Senator or Representative shall, during the Time for which he was

elected, be appointed to any civil Office under the Authority of the

United States, which shall have been created, or the Emoluments whereof

shall have been encreased during such time; and no Person holding any

Office under the United States, shall be a Member of either House during

his Continuance in Office.

Section. 7. All Bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House

of Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with Amendments

as on other Bills.

Every Bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and

the Senate, shall, before it becomes a Law, be presented to the

President of the United States; If he approve he shall sign it, but if

not he shall return it, with his Objections to that House in which it

shall have originated, who shall enter the Objections at large on their

Journal, and proceed to reconsider it. If after such Reconsideration

two thirds of that House shall agree to pass the Bill, it shall be sent, together with the Objections, to the other House, by which it shall

likewise be reconsidered, and if approved by two thirds of that House,

it shall become a Law. But in all such Cases the Votes of both Houses

shall be determined by yeas and Nays, and the Names of the Persons

voting for and against the Bill shall be entered on the Journal of each

House respectively. If any Bill shall not be returned by the President

within ten Days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented

to him, the Same shall be a Law, in like Manner as if he had signed it,

unless the Congress by their Adjournment prevent its Return, in which

Case it shall not be a Law.

Every Order, Resolution, or Vote to which the Concurrence of the

Senate and House of Representatives may be necessary (except on a

question of Adjournment) shall be presented to the President of the

United States; and before the Same shall take Effect, shall be approved

by him, or being disapproved by him, shall be repassed by two thirds of

the Senate and House of Representatives, according to the Rules and

Limitations prescribed in the Case of a Bill.

Section. 8. The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes,

Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the

common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all

Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United

States;

To borrow Money on the credit of the United States;

To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several

States, and with the Indian Tribes;

To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws

on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States;

To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and

fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;

To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and

current Coin of the United States;

To establish Post Offices and post Roads;

To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for

limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their

respective Writings and Discoveries;

To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;

To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas,

and Offenses against the Law of Nations;

To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules

concerning Captures on Land and Water;

To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that

Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;

To provide and maintain a Navy;

To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval

Forces;

To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the

Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;

To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia,

and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service

of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the

Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia

according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;

To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such

District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of

particular States, and the Acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of

the Government of the United States, and to exercise like Authority

over an Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State

in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines,

Arsenals, dockYards and other needful Buildings;–And

To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying

into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by

this Constitution in the Government of the United States or in any

Department or Officer thereof.

Section. 9. The Migration or Importation of such Persons as any of

the States now existing shall think proper to admit, shall not be

prohibited by the Congress prior to the Year one thousand eight

hundred and eight, but a Tax or duty may be imposed on such

Importation, not exceeding ten dollars for each Person.

The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended,

unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may

require it.

No Bill of Attainder or ex post facto Law shall be passed.

No Capitation, or other direct, Tax shall be laid, unless in

Proportion to the Census or Enumeration herein before directed to

be taken.*

 

*See Sixteenth Amendment.

 

No Tax or Duty shall be laid on Articles exported from any State.

No Preference shall be given by any Regulation of Commerce or

Revenue to the Ports of one State over those of another: nor shall

Vessels bound to, or from, one State, be obliged to enter, clear,

or pay Duties in another.

No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of

Appropriations made by Law, and a regular Statement and Account of

the Receipts and Expenditures of all public Money shall be published

from time to time.

No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no

Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without

the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office,

or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.

Section. 10. No State shall enter into any Treaty, Alliance, or

Confederation; grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal; coin Money; emit

Bills of Credit; make any Thing but gold and silver Coin a Tender in

Payment of Debts; pass any Bill of Attainder, ex post facto Law, or

Law impairing the Obligation of Contracts, or grant any Title of

Nobility.

No State shall, without the Consent of the Congress, lay any

Imposts or Duties on Imports or Exports, except what may be absolutely

necessary for executing it’s inspection Laws: and the net Produce of

all Duties and Imposts, laid by any State on Imports or Exports, shall

be for the Use of the Treasury of the United States; and all such Laws

shall be subject to the Revision and Controul of the Congress.

No State shall, without the Consent of Congress, lay any Duty of

Tonnage, keep Troops, or Ships of War in time of Peace, enter into any

Agreement or Compact with another State, or with a foreign Power, or

engage in War, unless actually invaded, or in such imminent Danger as

will not admit of delay.

 

Article. II.

 

Section. 1. The executive Power shall be vested in a President of

the United States of America. He shall hold his Office during the

Term of four Years, and, together with the Vice President, chosen

for the same Term, be elected, as follows

Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof

may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of

Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in

the Congress: but no Senator or Representative, or Person holding an

Office of Trust or Profit under the United States, shall be appointed

an Elector.

[The Electors shall meet in their respective States, and vote by

Ballot for two Persons, of whom one at least shall not be an

Inhabitant of the same State with themselves. And they shall make a

List of all the Persons voted for, and of the Number of Votes for

each; which List they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to

the Seat of the Government of the United States, directed to the

President of the Senate. The President of the Senate shall, in the

Presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the Certificates, and the Votes shall then be counted. The Person having

the greatest Number of Votes shall be the President, if such Number

be a Majority of the whole Number of Electors appointed; and if

there be more than one who have such Majority, and have an equal

Number of Votes, then the House of Representatives shall immediately

chuse by Ballot one of them for President; and if no Person have a

Majority, then from the five highest on the List the said House

shall in like Manner chuse the President. But in chusing the

President, the Votes shall be taken by States, the Representation

from each State having one Vote; A quorum for this Purpose shall

consist of a Member or Members from two thirds of the States,

and a Majority of all the States shall be necessary to a Choice.

In every Case, after the Choice of the President, the Person

having the greatest Number of Votes of the Electors shall be the

Vice President. But if there should remain two or more who have equal

Votes, the Senate shall chuse from them by Ballot the Vice President.]*

 

*Changed lay the Twelfth Amendment.

 

The Congress may determine the Time of chusing the Electors, and

the Day on which they shall give their Votes; which Day shall be the

same throughout the United States.

No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United

States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be

eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any person be

eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of

thirty five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the

United States.

[In Case of the Removal of the President from Office, or of his

Death, Resignation, or Inability to discharge the Powers and Duties

of the said Office, the Same shall devolve on the Vice President, and

the Congress may by Law provide for the Case of Removal, Death,

Resignation or Inability, both of the President and Vice President,

declaring what Officer shall then act as President, and such Officer

shall act accordingly, until the Disability be removed, or a President

shall be elected.]*

 

*Changed by the Twenty-Fifth Amendment.

 

The President shall, at stated Times, receive for his Services, a

Compensation, which shall neither be increased nor diminished during

the Period for which he shall have been elected, and he shall not

receive within that Period any other Emolument from the United States,

or any of them.

Before he enter on the Execution of his Office, he shall take

the following Oath or Affirmation:–“I do solemnly swear (or affirm)

that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United

States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and

defend the Constitution of the United States.”

Section. 2. The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army

and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several

States, when called into the actual Service of the United States;

he may require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in

each of the executive Departments, upon any Subject relating to the

Duties of their respective Offices, and he shall have Power to grant

Reprieves and Pardons for Offenses against the United States, except

in Cases of Impeachment.

He shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the

Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present

concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent

of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and

Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the

United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for,

and which shall be established by Law: but the Congress may by Law vest

the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the

President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments.

The President shall have Power to fill up all Vacancies that may

happen during the Recess of the Senate, by granting Commissions which

shall expire at the End of their next Session.

Section. 3. He shall from time to time give to the Congress

Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their

Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient;

he may, on extraordinary Occasions, convene both Houses, or either of

them, and in Case of Disagreement between them, with Respect to the

Time of Adjoumment, he may adjourn them to such Time as he shall

think proper; he shall receive Ambassadors and other public Ministers;

he shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed, and shall

Commission all the Officers of the United States.

Section. 4. The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of

the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for,

and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and

Misdemeanors.

 

Article. III.

 

Section. 1. The judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested

in one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may

from time to time ordain and establish. The Judges, both of the supreme

and inferior Courts, shall hold their Offices during good Behaviour,

and shall, at stated Times, receive for their Services, a Compensation,

which shall not be diminished during their Continuance in Office.

Section. 2. The judicial Power shall extend to all Cases, in Law and

Equity, arising under this Constitution, the Laws of the United States,

and Treaties made, or which shall be made, under their Authority;–to

all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls;–to

all Cases of admiralty and maritime Jurisdiction;–to Controversies to

which the United States shall be a Party;–to Controversies between two

or more States;–[between a State and Citizens of another State;--]*

between Citizens of different States,– between Citizens of the same

State claiming Lands under Grants of different States, [and between

a State, or the Citizens thereof, and foreign States, Citizens or

Subjects.]*

 

*Changed by the Eleventh Amendment.

 

In all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and

Consuls, and those in which a State shall be Party, the supreme Court

shall have original Jurisdiction. In all the other Cases before

mentioned, the supreme Court shall have appellate Jurisdiction,

both as to Law and Fact, with such Exceptions, and under such

Regulations as the Congress shall make.

The Trial of all Crimes, except in Cases of Impeachment; shall be

by Jury; and such Trial shall be held in the State where the said

Crimes shall have been committed; but when not committed within any

State, the Trial shall be at such Place or Places as the Congress may

by Law have directed.

Section. 3. Treason against the United States, shall consist only in

levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them

Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on

the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession

in open Court.

The Congress shall have Power to declare the Punishment of Treason,

but no Attainder of Treason shall work Corruption of Blood, or

Forfeiture except during the Life of the Person attainted.

 

Article. IV.

 

Section. 1. Full Faith and Credit shall be given in each State to

the public Acts, Records, and judicial Proceedings of every other

State; And the Congress may by general Laws prescribe the Manner

in which such Acts, Records and Proceedings shall be proved, and

the Effect thereof.

Section. 2. The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all

Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States.

A Person charged in any State with Treason, Felony, or other Crime,

who shall flee from Justice, and be found in another State, shall on

Demand of the executive Authority of the State from which he fled,

be delivered up, to be removed to the State having Jurisdiction of

the Crime.

[No Person held to Service or Labour in one State, under the Laws

thereof, escaping into another, shall, in Consequence of any Law or

Regulation therein, be discharged from such Service or Labour, but

shall be delivered up on Claim of the Party to whom such Service or

Labour may be due.]*

 

*Changed by the Thirteenth Amendment.

 

Section. 3. New States may be admitted by the Congress into this

Union; but no new State shall be formed or erected within the

Jurisdiction of any other State; nor any State be formed by the

Junction of two or more States, or Parts of States, without the

Consent of the Legislatures of the States concerned as well as of

the Congress.

The Congress shall have Power to dispose of and make all needful

Rules and Regulations respecting the Territory or other Property

belonging to the United States; and nothing in this Constitution

shall be so construed as to Prejudice any Claims of the United

States, or of any particular State.

Section. 4. The United States shall guarantee to every State in

this Union a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each

of them against Invasion; and on Application of the Legislature,

or of the Executive (when the Legislature cannot be convened)

against domestic Violence.

 

Article. V.

 

The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it

necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on

the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several

States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which,

in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as

Part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of

three fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three

fourths thereof, as the one or the other Mode of Ratification may

be proposed by the Congress; Provided that no Amendment which may

be made prior to the Year One thousand eight hundred and eight shall

in any Manner affect the first and fourth Clauses in the Ninth

Section of the first Article; and that no State, without its

Consent, shall be deprived of it’s equal Suffrage in the Senate.

 

Article. VI.

 

All Debts contracted and Engagements entered into, before the

Adoption of this Constitution, shall be as valid against the United

States under this Constitution, as under the Confederation.

This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be

made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be

made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme

Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby,

any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary

notwithstanding.

The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members

of the several State Legislatures and all executive and judicial

Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall

be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but

no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any

Office or public Trust under the United States.

 

Article. VII.

 

The Ratification of the Conventions of nine States, shall be

sufficient for the Establishment of this Constitution between the

States so ratifying the Same.

done in Convention by the Unanimous Consent of the States present

the Seventeenth Day of September in the Year of our Lord one thousand

seven hundred and Eighty seven and of the Independence of the United

States of America the Twelfth In Witness whereof We have hereunto

subscribed our Names,

 

CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES

Are you willing to sign this document?   I wonder if our current President believes that this document applies to him and his administration?